Stanmnesia
by DannyFenton123
Summary: Stan didn't get their memories back at the end of the series. Instead it comes slowly, but with that recall returns a dark force.
1. Chapter 1

"Aargh, what's this pig doing here!" Stanley stood up as Waddles jumped onto their lap, trying to keep the pig at arms length as it attempted to lick them.

"That's- that's Waddles!" Mabel put the book aside to take Waddles. "You don't remember him?"

Stanley wrinkled their nose. "Don't think I want to." They found themselves looking into the stricken faces of five people they couldn't remember. "Look, whoever you people are, whatever you're trying to get me to remember isn't coming back. Last thing I can remember is… waking up in the middle of that forest."

Mabel cupped their hands over their face. "Grunkle Stan…"

"I'm flattered I mean so much to you guys, but I don't even remember any of your names. So, uh, let's start from the top; my name's… what'd you say it was again?"

"You're Grunkle Stan." Dipper spoke up. "I'm Dipper, and that's Mabel."

"I'm Soos, your handyman!"

Ford stepped forward. "And I'm Standford Pines, your brother."

"Hey," Stanley cracked a grin, their fez slipping off and falling to the floor. "Are we twins? I bet we could pull loads of tricks if we switched clothes."

A bittersweet smile stretched across Ford's face. "Yes, Stanley." They put a heavy hand on their brother's shoulder. "We're twins."


	2. Chapter 2

Soon after that exchange, Soos offered to let everybody stay at their grandmother's house. Seeing that the Mystery Shack was an absolute wreck, everyone agreed and Ford called a taxi.

The cab arrived promptly, and though most of the group was silent and brooding Stan started talking to the driver. The two really seemed to hit it off until the driver realised they had already met the man: "Hey, you're that guy that gave me a hundred bucks and told me to drive away from the cops!"

"I… was?" Stan shot Ford a look, who shrugged. "I mean, yeah, I guess I was some sort of criminal, heh… Did they, uh, by any chance have some memory erasing kit or something?"

The driver let out a squeak and swerved, causing the passengers to grab the nearest object for balance. "You're onto them too?" They spoke in a fervent whisper, pulling out a tinfoil hat and placing it on their head. "I think they pull me over sometimes and steal my memory for the government; that's why I have such a bad memory! I don't have any record of it – yet – but I was thinking if I wore this tinfoil hat I'd be able to remember it! 'Course people never seem to want to ride in my cab when I'm wearing it so I never got a chance to test it out but you guys don't mind, right? Right?"

Looking up at the rearview mirror, the driver saw their five passengers were blankly staring at each other, visibly uncomfortable. "But that's okay if you do." The driver quickly removed their hat. "Mind, I mean."

Silence. After a moment the driver coughed. "We've, uh, reached your destination. So you can pay me and leave now."

Everybody got out very quickly. Stan walked up to the house and stared at it, frowning in concentration. They didn't notice Dipper walk up to them.

"Grunkle Stan, are you okay?" Stan looked down and saw the boy – what was the kid's name again? – watching them with concern.

"I'm fine, uh, kid." Stan scratched the back of their head. "Just trying to figure out whether I recognize this place or not."

Dipper blinked. "This place? It's Soos' house, I'm pretty sure you've only been here like, once."

"Oh. Well that's-"

"What are you waiting for!" Mabel barged in between the two, holding a rather beaten up suitcase above their head: the meager amount of belongings they managed to scavenge from the shack before the taxi arrived. The girl stopped in front of the door and pressed the bell. They pressed it again. And again.

"Mabel!" Dipper pulled their sister back just as the door opened, revealing Soos's grandmother. "Oh, hey, sorry! We-"

"I know what happened." The women opened the door wider. "Come in, just be quiet."

Soos gave their grandmother a hug before entering, followed by the Pines twins and Ford. Stan hung around until last, and leaned in towards the woman. "Hey, do I know-"

The woman stuck their hand over Stan's mouth. "And no kissing."

"Wha-?" Stan withdrew, giving Soos' grandmother a strange look as they went inside. "Sheesh, lady. I was just asking a question." They looked around. "Whose house is this again?"

Stan felt a hand on their shoulder. "Mine, Mr Pines!" Soos grinned. "You know, we weren't in the best situation when you last saw it, so here's for a brand new first impressions! Want me to give you the tour?"

"Yeah, whoever you are-"

Hurt flashed across the man's face. "I-I'm Soos, your most loyal employee!"

"Uh, okay. Do you mind giving me a bed instead?" Stan rubbed their forehead, not really caring that the red fez they were wearing slipped off again; the old man had no idea why everyone insisted they keep wearing it. "My head hurts from all this 'saving the world' junk I don't even remember I did."

At this, the rest of the group seemed to become aware of their own fatigue, and all the cuts and bruises they had sustained from just recently surviving an apocalypse. Ford spoke up for all of them, saying, "Yes, somewhere to sleep would be greatly appreciated. We can tell you everything that happened tomorrow, Stan, once we all get a good night's sleep."

"Dudes, I have more than enough sleeping bags for all of you." Soos turned to Stan. "And you can sleep in my bed tonight. After everything you've done, you deserve it… uh, even if you don't remember it."

"Thanks?"

"Come on, Mr Pines. I'll show you my room!"

Soos led them down the hall, into a room lit only by the harsh light of a large computer. The only thing Stan cared about was the bed laying at the back.

"Alright!" The old man tossed their fez and suit aside, unbuttoned their shirt and was just unzipping their pants when-

"Need any help, Mr Pines?"

Stan started violently and banged their foot on a table as they spun around. "Achk! Son of a- what are you doing? I thought you left!"

"I was wondering if you needed any help." Soos shifted from one foot to the other. "Because you lost your memory and all."

"It's Soos, right? Yeah, _get out of my room, Soos_!"

"Technically it's-"

"Your room, I know." Stan limped forwards and started shoving Soos out of the room. "Just because I'm an amnesiac doesn't mean I've forgotten how to sleep. So get out, you idiot!"

Once they had slammed the door and locked it, the old man gave a sigh of relief. They finished getting ready and laid down on the bed with a sigh of relief, and closed their eyes.

Stan dreamt that night of blue flames consuming their mind. It wasn't a nightmare, but they woke up the next day with a deep seated sense of unease. The first thing they heard was a knocking at the door.

"Uh, come in!" Stan called, and immediately Mabel burst into the room, followed closely by Ford.

"Morning, Grunkle Stan!" The girl slapped what appeared to be a sticker on Stan's face, grinning ear to ear. "Quick test, do you know my name?"

Stan blinked. "Kid, I just woke up. Who are you again?"

The girl didn't seem at all hurt by this, strangely enough. They took the old man's hand and started trying to pull them out of bed. "Never fear, Mabel is here! Now come on, you gotta come to the living room!"

"Hey, can it wait until I get dressed?"

"Okay… but hurry! I promise you all your memory problems are going to be solved by… The Great Sock Puppet slash Play slash Movie Performance of Grunkle Stan's Life!" Mabel danced a little on the spot. "I stayed up all night making this with Dipper. We didn't have anything but one sock puppet and a camera so we had to improvise!"

Stan blinked. "Okay, okay, kid. I'll be there soon" When Mabel ran off, they looked at Ford. "And what do you want?"

Ford cleared their throat. "I was just going to inform you I'll give you a much more comprehensible explanation of the past, after Mabel's performance."

"Oh, thanks. Now will you get out of here, I need to get ready for the day!"


End file.
